Art cabinet with scenes from the Metamorphosis of Ovid

Art cabinets or curiosa chests served to house small objects, such as jewellery, letters and coins. They were generally included in the inventory of the goods of a rich patrician. This example is ornamented with miniature paintings of scenes from the Metamorphosis of the Roman poet Ovid, such as the story of Meleager and Atalanta on the left-hand panel and the Sacrifice of Iphigenia on the right-hand panel.